Conquering Your Paper Clutter

It's hard to truly feel at home in a space until you've dealt with the clutter. In this post I will give you five steps to appropriately handle your paper clutter and to help you prepare for the unexpected.

Step 1: Gather together all the pockets of paper clutter around your house into one location; quickly comb through the clutter and eliminate the unnecessary (junk mail, outer envelopes, credit card offers, old newspapers, etc.). Then group the remaining items into suitable categories (ex. newspapers, magazines, bills, reference/research paperwork, items to file …). Next, begin to file what needs to be filed; place bills in a visible and accessible area; and layout your newspapers and magazines in a social area to be enjoyed. If the latter items are more than thirty days old, consider clipping out the articles that interest you and store those clippings in a folder. Last but not least, recycle what remains of your paper clutter. Note: If you haven't already, this is a great time to establish a permanent filing system for your important papers.

Step 2: Once your pockets of paper clutter have been dealt with, it's safe to start pulling out those vital documents you may need if it becomes necessary for you to evacuate your home immediately. Documents that you should keep in a small fire proof box or safety deposit box are: birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, copies of drivers’ licenses, etc. Please take a look at the recommendations provided by the American Red Cross at: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html; the peace of mind obtained from getting order in this area of your life will be well worth the effort.

Step 3: If you've completed the first two paper challenges, consider creating your own paper processing center. A place within your home (preferably your home office) where documents are shredded, mail is sorted, paper is recycled, and documents are filed.

To get started, you'll need a trash can, recycle bin, a shredder, a letter opener, a file cabinet or an accordion-style folder, and a plastic bin or basket (labeled "Mail Bin"). Make sure each of these items are located in a place within your office that is easily accessible by you and within your view. Make a commitment to only open mail in your newly created paper processing center. Place mail that requires some kind of action in your mail bin and immediately store any documents--in your file cabinet or your accordion style folder--that may be needed in the future. Lastly, recycle what remains of your paper clutter; and once or twice a quarter consider sifting through your files to shred outdated documents (old bills, receipts, bank statements, etc.).

Step 4: Build an inventory and video of all your expensive household items. Get out your writing pad or smart phone, and begin jotting down the name, serial number, make, model, etc. of all those household items too expensive to replace if there was a fire or natural disaster. Then video tape or take pictures of those items. Store that information in a save place, preferably a fire proof box or a safety deposit box . Granted, we are not to value things, but we do not want our giving (paying to replace items) or our service (busy inventorying what's left) to be hindered by simple steps we could have taken.

Step 5: Last but not least, don't forget to organize your digital papers. Information stored on a computer hard-drive can be just as vital as information sitting in a safety deposit box. You'll want to take time periodically to copy information from your hard-drive to a CD-drive or DVD-drive; then store that portable drive with the rest of your vital records. How often you do this will depend on how often the information you are storing changes--monthly or quarterly should be sufficient. However, if you are running a business you may want to consider an online service that will allow you to not only access, but backup your digital content right from your desktop.

If you have additional ideas, comments or suggestions I would love to hear them.